An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: Trump’s fight against mail-in ballots; LaGuardia crash audio; ways to lower Alzheimer’s risk; and more

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By Jamie Ross and Hannah Jewell

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Good morning. It's Tuesday, March 24, and the U.K. just got its own, swearier version of "Saturday Night Live." See how it compares to the U.S. one here. Now let's get to the news.

President Donald Trump said the U.S. is negotiating with Iran to end the war.

Yesterday: Trump declared the two sides had "very good and productive conversations" that will continue this week. However, Iran rejected Trump's characterization of talks.
Immediate impacts: The president's announcement sent markets up and energy prices down, as investors bet that Iran's blockade of a critical shipping waterway could soon end.

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Air traffic control audio captured the moments before and after the LaGuardia crash.

The plane struck an emergency vehicle on the runway that was responding to an issue with a separate aircraft, officials said. (Adam Gray/Reuters)

On Sunday night: An Air Canada Express passenger jet collided with a firefighting vehicle as it landed in New York, killing two pilots and injuring dozens of passengers.
The latest: An air traffic controller can be heard in the audio recording pleading with a driver to stop seconds before the crash and saying afterward that he had "messed up."

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The Supreme Court appears ready to limit mail-in balloting ahead of the midterms.

How? Most justices yesterday seemed likely to side with a challenge to counting mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. The court is expected to issue a ruling by June or July.
Trump has attacked mail-in balloting: He claims without evidence that it is riddled with fraud. There's a special election today in Palm Beach, Florida — Trump voted by mail.
Also yesterday: Justices shielded a police officer from an excessive force claim.

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ICE officers at airports don't appear to be helping shorten security lines.

U.S. airports where ICE agents have been deployed. Sources: Transportation Security Administration, Washington Post reporting. (Dylan Moriarty/The Washington Post)

Yesterday: The Trump administration deployed immigration officers to try to ease TSA staffing shortages. But some passengers said ICE agents didn't seem to be doing much.
Last night: The Senate voted 54 to 45 to confirm Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) as the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He'll replace Kristi Noem.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to use AI to help save dying rural hospitals.

The Trump administration is infusing $50 billion over five years to improve rural health, with some states proposing to use the money for drones to deliver lab samples or prescriptions. (The Washington Post; iStock)

How? The health secretary has suggested AI nurses could be used and another official said robots could give ultrasounds. Experts from rural areas say the solution isn't that simple.
AI needs huge amounts of electricity: The nation's most overlooked power plant isn't a gas turbine or a solar farm — it's your house. See how to get Big Tech to pay your bills here.

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Wildfires are ripping through an unusual part of the country.

The Cottonwood Fire burns in Dawson County, Nebraska, on March 13. (AP/Nebraska State Patrol)

Where? The Great Plains, including a historic wildfire event in Nebraska that burned more than a half-million acres. The West has been baking under record hot temperatures.
Firefighters are concerned: These early blazes could be a sign of a brutal fire season ahead and a new frontier for fire risk in the western U.S. after a balmy, dry winter.

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Scientists may have discovered why working out can lower Alzheimer's risk.

According to a new study in mice: Exercise prompts the liver to release a protein that travels to the brain and helps repair a leaky blood-brain barrier that can weaken with age.
Take action: Here are eight things you can do this year to lower your dementia risk — moving more and sitting less top the list. Singing and napping may also boost your brain.

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Before you go … are you prone to back pain? Scientists found a surprising link to sensitivity to loud noises. If you're suffering: This therapy for chronic back aches could help.

One more good read: He was Marco Rubio's friend and roommate. Today, Rubio will testify against him.

We want to hear from you: Do you have questions about stories you've seen in The 7? Send them here. We'll find the right person to answer them and share responses in our weekend edition.

And finally … take a game break: